Michael Malone may have heard the term “Heat Culture” one too many times between the Denver Nuggets’ trip to South Beach on Wednesday and the 2023 NBA Finals.
Malone spoke on his team’s altruism after Denver defeated the Miami Heat 100–88 by showcasing a memorable in-game event from the encounter.
The Nuggets coach gave an explanation of how Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jamal Murray advised their coach to allow teammate Reggie Jackson to continue playing and get over his current slump. As a result, Jackson scored seven points in a row to start the fourth quarter with Denver down just five points.
As he talked about the team’s altruism, the coach made care to point out that the Nuggets have a distinct culture, much like Miami.
Malone said, “Being selfless and getting over yourself is part of our culture—because we do have a culture in Denver, too. And that, in my opinion, is yet another illustration of how our group constantly puts the needs of the group ahead of the needs of the individual.
Without a doubt, under Malone’s direction, the Nuggets have developed into a winning team with a distinctive style. Furthermore, the coach made it quite clear in his press conference following the game that there are other cultures in the NBA besides “Heat Culture.”
